Happy New Year & Tour News Round-Up for 2018

We’ve lots of exciting plans in place for 2018 with many artists releasing much-awaited new albums and many storming into the new year at the top of 2017 album lists!

Stick In The Wheel promise to make a big East London-infused noise in 2018 with their new album (out this month) Follow Them True. “Urgent, uncompromising, intelligent…the bristles on the clean broom the UK folk scene badly needs.” Record Collector. Bookings for summer festivals and Oct/Nov album tour dates being taken now!

The creative partnership of Anna and Elizabeth join iconic label Smithsonian Folkways to release The Invisible Comes to Us, out in March – an extraordinary work of unique, genre-bending storytelling and sonic exploration pioneering new ways of presenting old songs and stories to modern audiences. Some May dates still available!

Sheesham & Lotus and ‘Son have a new sepia-tinted new old time CD brewing. Grab dates in late July now.

Folk Awards Best Group The Furrow Collective are in the studio right now, with a new Hudson Records release out later in the year to coincide with November tour dates and Lankum are riding high in the critics’ polls for Between Earth & Sky (Rough Trade). Book now for summer festivals and Oct tour dates.

Bruce Molsky Touring solo 30 Nov – 15 Dec 2018.

Having just completed a substantial UK tour with his new trio, Bruce Molsky returns for some special solo dates in autumn 2018.

Bruce Molsky is one of the most revered “multi-hyphenated career” ambassadors for America’s old-time mountain music.

For decades, he’s been a globetrotting performer, ethnomusicologist and educator, a recording artist with an expansive discography including seven solo albums, well over a dozen collaborations and two Grammy-nominations.

“Bruce Molsky is one of those great players who ‘gets it’: has all the links to the past but is happy not to be chained to it” – Mark Knopfler

Eli West is a Seattle-based acoustic musician. His recent debut solo album, The Both, has him taking the lead on electric and acoustic guitars, banjo, and pedal steel, whilst remaining a thoughtful collaborator – here with some of his close friends and personal heroes, like jazz great Bill Frisell, new Americana discovery Dori Freeman, and Anna & Elizabeth

Well-known for his work with Norwegian fiddler Olav Mjelva, Cahalen Morrison, Jayme Stone and more, the singer and multi-instrumentalist oozes understated talent.

‘Eli West is an exceptional singer, guitar player and musician, really deep stuff’
– Martin Simpson

All things Kerr/Fagan… Nancy Kerr, currently touring with The Transports, is making new fans across the country and is available solo for intimate and conversational concerts in smaller venues in September 2018.

Melrose Quartet who delighted audiences and promoters with sold out gigs and buoyant CD sales in their recent Dominion album launch tour, return in late April and October, and were featured, alongside Martin Simpson, in the BBC Radio 3 ‘World on 3’ concert live from Sheffield on 29 December:http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09k6q2y

The James Brothers, James Fagan and Jamie McClennan, with wit, warmth and songs from ‘down under’ have just announced new dates for February 2019 and Nancy’s rockier, Sweet Visitor Band remains available for festivals across this year and next.